We denounced war against all the world, actors, authors, and critics; and having drawn the sword, threw away the scabbard--we pushed through thick and thin, hacked and hewed helter skelter, and became as formidable to the writers of the age as the Boeotian band of Thebes.

My friend Bullock, indeed, was once rolled in the kennel; but soon He vig'rous rose, and from th' effluvia strong Imbib'd new life, and scour'd and stunk along.
"Here is a satire, which I wrote in an alehouse when I was drunk--I can prove it by the evidence of the landlord and his wife; I fancy you'll own I have some right to say with my friend Horace, Qui me commorit, (melius non tangere clamo,) Flebit, et insignis tota cantabitur urbe." The knight, having perused the papers, declared his opinion that the verses were tolerably good; but at the same time observed that the author had reviled as ignorant dunces several persons who had writ with reputation, and were generally allowed to have genius; a circumstance that would detract more from his candour than could be allowed to his capacity.
"D--n their genius!" cried the satirist, "a pack of impertinent rascals! I tell you, sir, Ben Bullock and I had determined to crush all that were not of our own party.

Besides, I said before, this piece was written in drink."-- "Was you drunk too when it was printed and published ?"--"Yes, the printer shall make affidavit that I was never otherwise than drunk or maudlin, till my enemies, on pretence that my brain was turned, conveyed me to this infernal mansion"-- "They seem to have been your best friends," said the knight, "and have put the most tender interpretation on your conduct; for, waiving the plea of insanity, your character must stand as that of a man who hath some small share of genius, without an atom of integrity.

Of all those whom Pope lashed in his Dunciad, there was not one who did not richly deserve the imputation of dulness, and every one of them had provoked the satirist by a personal attack.

In this respect the English poet was much more honest than his French pattern Boileau, who stigmatised several men of acknowledged genius; such as Quinault, Perrault, and the celebrated Lulli; for which reason every man of a liberal turn must, in spite of all his poetical merit, despise him as a rancorous knave.